Grave-filling machine



No. 623,4!9. Patented Apr. l8, I899. J. PAUGH &. A. G. &. J. W. HARBBS.

GRAVE FILLING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1898.)

(No Model.)

Attorney Unirno STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

JAMES PAUGI-I, ALBERT G. HARRIS, AND JOHN XV. HARRIS, OF LA GRANGE, KENTUCKY.

GRAVE-FILLING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,419, dated April 18, 1899.

Application filed September 29, 1898 Serial No. 692,206. (No model.)

To (til whom it ntcty concern:

Be it known that we,JAMEs PAU GfLALBERT G. HARRIS, and JOHN W. HARRIS, citizens of the United States, residing at La Grange, in

the county of Oldham and State of Kentucky,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grave-filling maro chines; and the object of the invention is to provide a portable grave-filling machine of improved novel construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a grave-filling and mound-forming ma- 1 chine adapted to receive the earth from the grave and provided with a pivoted swinging back to feed the earth through the bottom of the machine and a traveling apron to receive the earth, said apron being pivoted and operated to swing to carry the earth into the grave and to form the grave-mound.

Other objects and improved results accruing from the construction and arrangement of parts and the formation of special features will be revealed in the specification and claims to follow.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, Figure 1 is a top view of the machine in position to receive the 0 earth from a grave. Fig. 2 is a front view of the machine when not in use. Fig. 3 is a section on the line :0 2E, Fig. 1. Fig. at is a crosssection on the line y y, Fig. 1, with the apronframe in position to deposit the earth in a 5 grave, the dotted lines showing the apronframe adjusted to form a grave-mound. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of the machine with the apron and its frame partly broken away.

The same numeral references denote the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The body of the machine is formed by solid ends 1, having rear integral wings 2, joined by a bar 3, said ends being secured to posts bottom 5, its top edge being connected by cables 12 to a revoluble shaft 12, journaled in the said ends and provided with a suitable crank-handle 13.

The supporting-frame for the above-described body comprises the posts 4, joined by longitudinal beams 14: and cross-beams 15, thus making the frame and bodyindependent and readily disconnected or separated.

A combined shaft-bearin g, post-brace, and wheel-axle is formed'between the projecting ends of the posts 4 and consists of the portion 16, the ends of which engage the posts and brace the latter, a bearing 17, in which the ends of the endless-apron shaft 18 are journaled, and diverging curved arms 19, forming axles for the Wheels 20 and provided with wheel-spindles 21, held by the said projecting ends of the posts 4, said shaft being revolved by crankhandle 22.

The endless apron 23 is carried by the shaft 18 over a roller 24,.journaled in the apronframe 25, said frame being pivoted at 26 and connected to a revoluble shaft 27 by cables 28, said shaft having crank-handle 29. 7

The bottom 5 has a discharge-opening 30, which is opened and closed by a slidable plate 31, operated by a lever 32 at one end of the machine.

The projecting wings 2 have a notched rack 33, wherein are adjusted ground-braces 34 when occasion requires.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The front portion 7 being removed and the back dropped back against the bar 3, the apron being raised, the machine is ready to receive the earth from the grave, of course the discharge-opening 30 being closed and the portion 7 placed in position, if necessary, as the body is filled. Then to fill the grave the apron is lowered to a proper angle over the grave, the slide operated to open the opening 30, and the shaft 18 operated to revolve the apron which carries the earth into the grave. As the earth is discharged from 5 the body the shaft 12 is revolved to swing the back 10 forward, which throws the earth gradually onto the bottom 5. The grave-mound is formed by turning the shaft 27, which gradually raises or swings the apron-frame vertically on the pivots 26 by means of the cables 28, while the apron is still being revolved to continue the deposit of earth, the latter falling over the said raised portion until the mound is completed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination of the body having a back pivoted to the body-bottom to swing, means for swinging the back, a slidable plate controlling an opening in said bottom, and the frame in which said body is secured, having suitable wheels.

2. In a grave-filling and mound-forming machine, the combination, with the body, and the frame in which said body is secured, of the back connected to the body-bottom to swing, means for swinging the back, a slidable plate controlling a discharge-opening in said bottom, an endless apron under said opening, means for revolving the apron, an endless-apron frame pivoted to the body frame to swing vertically, and means for swinging the apron-frame.

3. The combination, with a grave-filling machine having an earth-discharge opening in its bottom, of an endless-apron frame carrying an endless apron and pivoted to swing vertically, and means for operating the said 

